Browsing: African Innovation

Innovation
  • Innovation is the route to business, company, industry and national success story.
  • To realize this success, however, governments must create policies that encourage and support innovation at scale.
  • For Africa, the jury is still out on the role of governments in driving innovation.

From the developed to emerging to the underdeveloped economies, one thing that policymakers agree is that innovation drives industrial and therefore national progress. It creates opportunity for individuals and investors, grows businesses, and powers a nation’s development agenda. For these reasons, policymakers are advised to place emphasis on innovation.

Matt Banholzer, an economics researcher and author of How innovation can accelerate industry momentum report explains that while macroeconomics concept of development correctly looks at the economy as a whole, policymakers must not be naïve to think policies of the ‘whole’ will foster development of the individual and vice vasa.

The researcher is of the view that policymakers, …

Innovation is ferrying Africa to a brighter more successful future, a future of technology and digital realities in everyday life. From mobile Apps that allow John in the city centre to Dr. Atish Shah’s affordable battery-powered prosthetic arm that even the least fortunate can afford, innovation is defining Africa’s reality.

African Innovation: Tanzanian Doctor creates mobile-battery powered prosthetics

 

Tanzania’s Dr. Atish Shah has been recognized the World over for his innovation the Mkono-1, a 3D-printed functional prosthetic hand. Dr. Shah a biomedical engineering Masters candidate says the design was made with the average Tanzanian in mind. It is affordable and functional giving amputees an inexpensive solution for improved mobility and independence.

The prosthetic hand is charged by a simple mobile phone battery, bringing a revolution to an otherwise very expensive industry. In Tanzania, prosthetics are unaffordable for those in middle and low-income communities, and no other battery-powered prosthetics are …